The legislative special sessions called Aug. 12 and 13 by Governor Rod Blagojevich for action on school funding and capital construction did neither. Despite the governor’s efforts to force a response by the General Assembly, the House and Senate refused to take votes on either of the governor’s announced special session topics.
 

Also left untouched were scores of budget cuts totaling over $1.4 billion affecting many agencies, services, departments and higher education.
 

In a surprise move, the House supported two of the governor’s amendatory veto rewrites. The two bills dealt with property tax relief for disabled veterans and health care for children on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26.
 

However, the stated goal of the House was not cooperation but confrontation. House leaders said they supported the Governor’s veto because they are seeking a court challenge to define the limits of the amendatory veto power granted in the Illinois constitution.
 

Illinois higher education took some severe budget cuts from the gubernatorial vetoes; those cuts remain in force. The reductions to universities and community colleges severely diminished new funding that was authorize d in the FY 2009 budget. While Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board budgets are not totally flat-lined, higher education state funding once again was cut far below levels needed to keep up with rising costs. In past years, the state shortfall was made up by rising tuition and fee increases. 
 

IFT members who are state employees, including those in agencies under the governor and other constitutional officers, saw no reprieve from the threats of furloughs, forced time off and layoffs. Negotiations are continuing in many departments with state management on how to handle the governor’s budget cuts.